The Ice Queen Comforts the Veteran
by Inebriated Caffeine Imbiber
Summary: Winter wakes up to a man underneath her. At first she's worried, but then she remembers the day before. However, their intimacy has brought up some questions that they can only ask each other, and ones that only the other can answer.


Winter found herself awake, and sleeping on the body of a man who smelt of oak trees, vanilla and berries. She was still clothed, thank the Two Brothers, but it was the man underneath her that gave her pause. She shifted her eyes and looked to her right and surely enough, it was him.

Qrow was breathing lightly, face untouched by nightmares as his brow rested in a position other than a furrow. His strong arms wrapped around her torso and laid softly onto her back. She shuddered at his touch as he moved his arms in his sleep, mumbled something about Tai's pancakes.

She giggled softly at his sleep talk and rested her chin on his chest, watching him with intense blue eyes. "Qrow…" She whispered, almost teasingly.

He mumbled again about not wanting to wear a speedo. She giggled a little louder and started to play with his hair. Slowly, his rust red eyes peered through the eyelids. He shut them quickly.

"Gods damnit Ice Queen, do you have to be so radiant? I can barely see." His mouth twisted into a small smile before he opened his eyes again. This prompted another giggle from her. "Well maybe if you got used to this arrangement, it wouldn't be as bad."

He paused, before he chuckled again. "Oh gods Winter, your mind is wandering to places I haven't even thought of yet."

Her smile dampened slightly and he felt it. He put his arm down and craned his neck, propping himself up on his elbows. "Hey… I didn't mean it like that." He caressed her cheek softly. "It's just, I don't want to put you in a position where there's hope for us, yet I have to put you down. It wouldn't be right of me."

She sighed before placing her head on his chest again. "I know, but it doesn't stop me from dreaming, Qrow."

He stayed silent and she kissed his chest. "Qrow?"

"Yes Winter?"

"I hate to ask…. But."

"Yes Ice Queen?"

"Why do you like me? What do you find likeable about me?"

He smiled a bit before he chuckled. "Cause you remind me so much of Summer."

She felt a bit odd at that, she was glad that she was seen as likeable in his eyes, but only because of another woman? He sensed that immediately.

"Ahhh shit I didn't mean it like that Winter. I meant… Summer was an amazing woman. She was strong, talented and by the Gods was she passionate about her job as a Huntress. There are so many things I could talk about her we'd be here forever."

She looked down and started to feel second rate. It wasn't until he softly turned her head to his eyes that she saw what was in them. Adoration.

"But you are that… and so much more. You are powerful, you command respect of your peers. You are confident and self esteemed. You are a danger, yet you are the peace. I feel that you are fire, coming to burn across everything we love. But I also see the ice, the water, that will put out that fire. You are the rolling waves of the sea that crashes against the cliffs and the rocks. You are a force of Nature, Winter. And I can't help but be drawn to you. Because I feel safe with you, I feel safe in believing that my time with you won't be wasted."

She teared up slightly before burying her face into his chest. "N-no one has said such things about me, ever. It's always about my last name, about my ranking and about my status. But you, you complimented me on… Me."

He wrapped his arms around her tightly and planted a tender kiss on her forehead. "You may feel like I only see you for your looks, or for your last name. But that will never be the case, especially in regards to your last name. You are a brilliant woman, Winter. With so much passion and so much heart, you truly are brilliant."

She looked away, with a small blush in her cheeks. It was that moment, that the rays of the sun shot through a split in the curtains and landed on her form. His breath hitched a bit as he saw a woman, a goddess in front of him.

She noticed and looked down. "Qrow, you're staring at me."

He chuckled. "I could stare at you all day, Winter."

She looked up at him, a bit of hope in her eyes as she laid herself down again. Reaching up a bit, she gave his lips a small graze of her own.

He sighed deeply. "Winter, whatever you may be feeling for me, I don't think will last."

She looked up at him, concerned. "Why would my feelings cease to exist?"

"Because, I'm older than you by at least a decade. I'm a drunk who has a small deathwish. I'm constantly sent on missions to places I don't even know exist until I'm there. I have an anger problem, as you well remember from yesterday and I'm not suitable for you."

She opened her mouth, still looking at him. Before her face softened and she began to laugh. Qrow's face burned in embarrassment but he had to admit, her laugh was like a bird's, so sweet and so… Her.

She finished a bit before looking at him, tears of mirth in her eyes. "Qrow, if you honestly think I care about how old you are, then you've never been to any marriages in Atlas. Your drinking problem is for a reason, and you don't drink yourself to oblivion, I can work with that. Your deathwish is because of your past, and we can help you mend that as well. I'm constantly sent on missions as well and I don't even know when I'm coming back or if I'll come back. And it wasn't your fault yesterday, it was my fault for infuriating you. I also have a slight anger problem, but we can help each other out…"

He refused to look at her. "Qrow… Qrow look at me."

He did, and he was still floored at how the light radiated off of her, like a dream. "I know that talking about a relationship right now is some pretty heavy stuff, and I understand if you're not ready for one. To tell you the truth, neither am I. But just because I'm not ready doesn't mean I don't have those feelings towards you. You are a fascinating man Qrow Branwen, a truly fascinating man. And, if given time and if you're ready, I think we could honestly have something. I'm willing to take that chance."

He was stumped. "But I'm not worthy of you."

She grabbed his face with both hands and peered down at him seriously. "Don't ever say that again. I decide who is worthy enough for me and you, Mr Qrow Branwen, fit that fucking bill."

Her swearing kinda threw him off, but he grinned all the same. "Never thought I'd see the day where I hear you swear, Ice Queen…" He sighed before resigning himself. "Fine, as long as you don't think yourself as second rate to my standards, deal?"

She grinned at him before planting a soft kiss on his lips. "Deal."

She got up and undid her hair from the bun and shook it out, his intake of breath made her smile. "What? Like what you see?"

He nodded in an absolute yes. "Well, like I said. You could become used to seeing this more often."

Her scroll rang, which broke the atmosphere. She scowled at it before she picked it up. Upon viewing the caller ID she felt a bit worried before answering it. "General Ironwood, Sir."

Qrow rolled his eyes and thought of something mischievous. He got up and wrapped his arms around her waist and began to apply tender kisses to her exposed neck. This made her blush and stutter in excitement. "N-no sir I haven't _ah_ gotten the reports yet, I will check my desk as soon as I _ahh_ come in. No! I'm fine sir, I just got a stitch in _ahh!_ my ribs. I'll be fine sir! Yes… Yes… Yes I understand sir. Yes, _ah_ acknowledged. Goodbye sir." She hang up on him and gave the naughty man beneath her a wicked smile. "You are the worst, Qrow."

He chuckled before planting another on her neck. "I have to say, during that phone call I had the best view." He rested his chin on her chest.

"No Qrow, not today. At least have some restraint, or I might feel that you like me only for my body. And we can't have that now can we?"

He pondered for a bit before he suckled on the skin of her neck. "I mean… We could have that, it would make for a bit of fun now wouldn't it?"

She gasped softly at the movement. "Q-Qrow no. Not yet at least. P-please. I want this to be something more than a one night stand or a fling." She grabbed his face and peered into his eyes as she said this.

Understanding, he controlled himself and began kissing where he bit her. Her statement brought up something which intrigued him. "Ice Queen, have you ever laid down with a man before?"

She blushed scarlet before uttering a very light. "No."

He hummed a bit in thought as he began to kiss her jawline.

His ministrations, his thoughtfulness to her wishes all came crashing down upon her as she just realised that she's finally being pampered and being treated in a loving manner beyond family. She closed her eyes and wrapped her strong arms around his head and held him there, breathing a sigh of pent up relief and excitement.

He buried his face into his chest. "We've gotta figure out a way how we can constantly meet up like this."

She pondered his statement. "Well… My apartment in Atlas isn't terribly guarded. I mean, someone of your calibre should easily slip through some tired sentries. And it would make my day knowing that when I return from work, that there is someone there willing to make my worries go away…" She stopped before looking at him. "You will be there for me, w-will you?" A sudden fear had struck her chest. He was known for running away from his problems and those that mattered to him.

He stopped for a moment. He had to admit that he wasn't the best when it came to commitment, be that family related or relationship wise. But things were different now. He finally found someone that he truly cared for and genuinely wanted to be with. With a confident smile he looked up at his goddess and gave her a tender kiss on the lips. "Winter, I'm not known for commitment. I don't think I ever was… But this is different, I _want_ to stick around with you. I _want_ to be with you. So yes, Ice Queen. I will be there on the first day. Then the next, then the next and the next. I bet my good luck on it."

She giggled loudly at his luck joke and peered at him adoringly. "Finally, a man who knows how to treat me right."

"What? Like a goddess? Winter, if all the men that have come into your life haven't been treating you that way, then they are the biggest jackasses in the history of Remnant."

His words were like honey to her. She felt her heart melt as she stared into his eyes and saw nothing but honesty. "Fucking hell Qrow, you keep talking like that and you might find my thighs around your head quicker than you can say my full name."

His eyes flashed and a wide grin graced his face. "Sounds like a challenge… And a reward."

"A reward that only you can have." She giggled before kissing him again.

They stayed like that for a few minutes before coming back up to breath. She gazed at the clock and groaned before whispering to her lover. "I have work soon." He peered at the clock and felt the same way.

"So do I." He gazed upon her again.

"Will you be here for me?"

He took one of her hands and took the glove off, lovingly kissing every finger tip before going up her arm and to her neck. Every kiss was more tender than the last and they left burning sensations across her skin. She breathed a sigh of excitement again. 'Holy shit, this Qrow was something alright.'

Once he reached her lips, he gave her a passion filled kiss. "Winter, not even an army of Beowulves and Ursa can stop me from coming back here."

That was the answer she was hoping for. Sighing in resignation, she got off of him much to his chagrin and began to make herself look presentable in a mirror.

As she made herself look professional, he came up behind her and whispered into her ear. "Winter, I know you still think you're not worthy of the praise I give you, but if only you can see what I see in the mirror right now, and every time I look at you. I will convince you of what I see, I promise."

She smiled and curled her arm around his head and craning her neck to give him another kiss. "You are such a smooth talker."

"Only for you, Ice Queen."

"But only when we're alone, gotta continue to hate each other out of this room."

He laughed before burying his face into her neck and immersing himself in her scent. "Don't worry, everything I say out of this room and in public won't be true. But I will have some fun with you."

"You are the worst."

"You love it."

He let her go and she proceeded to the door and opened it. She gave one last look before beckoning him over, a wicked smirk on her lips. He was all too helpless to resist as he pressed her against the wall and shared a deep, heated and passionate kiss. Once they separated she breathed in excitement. "That is something you can look forward to, if this continues further." She giggled. "Will I see you today?" One last time.

He smiled before putting her down. "You can bet on it, Ice Queen." She giggled and gave him a quick peck before bolting out the door and locking it.

He smiled and whooped loudly while collapsing onto her, no, _their_ bed. He smelled her perfume in the sheets and for the first time in ages, he felt light hearted and happy. Standing up and rearranging the blankets and pillows, he walked over to the nearest window with a jaunt in his step. He cracked it open just enough for a bird to fit and transformed into his namesake, taking off into the distance.

If someone were to look at that crow they would think that it looked happy, energetic.

For Qrow it was a more severe case… He was happy, energetic and… In love.


End file.
